No Alternative to Love
by Kylarra Kavana
Summary: Star Fleet cadet Charlene Masters meets the enigmatic Lazarus. What will their destinies be in the new timeline? Also starring: Nyota, Spock Prime, Spock, and a couple of surprising guests.
1. Chapter 1

No Alternative to Love.

_Author's note: This story is based on two of the characters from TOS: "The Alternative Factor", Charlene Masters and Lazarus, (with a good sprinkling of Nyota, Spock, and Spock Prime)._

Chapter One. "Bird"

The day was hot…the sky, a bright blue...a perfect day for a flight. Charlene Masters took one last look at her experiment as she prepared to launch it into the atmosphere. She caressed her creation, which she decided to call 'Bird', and took him lovingly in her hands. She surveyed her surroundings. There was nothing but sand and dunes in sight.

Charlene was an Engineering and Physics major at Star Fleet Academy. She had left her dormitory room early that morning telling Nyota that she would be out for the day. She was often gone, so Nyota hadn't reacted suspiciously. Charlene had disassembled 'Bird' the night before and had stowed him and some other things needed for her experiment in a carryall. She had taken the nearest transport down the coast. There, she had rented a ground car and had driven deep into the desert where she wouldn't be observed, for what she was attempting was completely illegal. If she got caught, they would definitely expel her or worse. She had secretly been experimenting on 'Bird' for almost two years now, working out the Physics and Engineering equations secretly on an independent PADD. She had designed 'Bird' to resemble an eagle, smoothing out the wings and polishing and painting the body until he shone brand new. She admired 'Bird' again. Hopefully, this third time would be the charm, her two earlier creations having disappeared, never to be seen again.

The desert sand was beginning to whip up, seeming to give her a signal for her to begin. 'Perfect!' she thought to herself. She put 'Bird' on the ground, moved back a slight distance, and took a remote and a pair of mag-glasses out of a pocket of her utility vest. She pressed a sequence of buttons. 'Bird' took off slowly and gracefully, not making a sound. She let him glide in wide circles, doing a slow ascension. Then she angled 'Bird' upward, his nose pointed towards the heavens. She put on her special glasses as 'Bird' became a faint figure in the sky. She made some minor adjustments to increase magnification and nullify the glare of the sun. Satisfied, she was able to make him out perfectly. So far, so good. She pressed another sequence of buttons. She had set a special chronometer on her remote which corresponded to one on Bird's neck. If everything went right this time, he would disappear for approximately 20 seconds, then reappear. Her thumb hovered nervously over the last button. She breathed in deeply and pressed the button.

On cue, 'Bird' disappeared, just like her other two experiments had. She looked nervously at her chronometer…'5, 4, 3, 2, 1', she counted to herself as she looked upward again. What she saw then, shocked her and sent a chill down her spine. Something had indeed appeared in the skyline. Something larger than her 1.5m, 'Bird'. What it was exactly she couldn't make out, but it seemed like a spacecraft of some kind. She adjusted her glasses as it slowly came down. She fought down a surge a panic.

'What had gone wrong? Surely, this was a coincidence, no matter how bizarre. Where was 'Bird'?' she thought to herself. All of these thoughts and more went through her mind in a flash. No matter that this was her third attempt at getting her experiment to work, she was so sure that she had got it right this time. The spacecraft hadn't veered off as she had hoped…in fact, it was flying straight toward her position on the ground. She thought about fleeing in the ground car, but she knew there was no way she would be able to outrun it, if indeed it was interested in her.

Just in case, she pulled out something else that was illegal from yet another pocket…illegal for cadets anyway, but she had learned it was better to be prepared since she often worked alone. She had bought the small hand phaser from a dealer in San Francisco which could be surreptiously disassembled while on the Academy and quickly re-assembled for situations like this one. The craft finally landed about 50 meters from her current spot kicking up great volumes of dust. She stood facing it, wondering if it were occupied or not. She needn't have worried. The small hatch opened quickly upon landing.

A man emerged. He was tall, about 1,88 meters. The wind was blowing his long, brown hair about his face. Charlene involuntarily took two steps backwards and gaped in shock. The man's imposing figure took in his surroundings, his gray eyes flashing angrily as they finally locked on her. But that isn't what held her attention. She noticed that he was holding 'Bird' in his left hand!

'This wouldn't happen to belong to you, would it?' he said, crisply, holding up 'Bird' and slowly advancing to where she stood.

Charlene gulped, but managed to say, 'Yes, it is mine…but, but…how did…?'

He regarded her closely, his eyes beginning to relax as he noticed her confusion.

'Bird' looked ragged, his covering old and worn; his once straight back and proud wings were slightly bent at awkward angles.

'Of course, you know what you've attempted is totally illegal.'

'Well, if you know anything about what I've attempted, then you also know you are equally guilty,' she snapped.

'Well, well, you've sure got a big mouth for being this far out in the desert with nobody else around.'

'I've got a good friend here by my side,' she said saucily, as she whipped her small phaser towards him to see.

Emotions quickly crossed the man's face. First anger, surprise, but humor finally won out. He tilted his head back and laughed, exposing even white teeth. 'You can put your phaser away. I'm harmless.'

Charlene's eyes never moved from him. She was frightened despite her demeanor and distrusted the situation. She slowly retreated, moving carefully backwards towards her ground car. She hadn't noticed the small rock; however, that blocked her path. She tripped a bit, and the man closed in on her in a second. Dropping 'Bird', he grabbed her with both hands and wrenched the phaser from her grasp. She gasped in horror as she was now imprisoned in his grip. She tried a few defensive moves, but she was firmly locked in his close proximity as she felt his hot breath on her neck.

Like I said, "I'm not going to hurt you, so relax". He pushed her away suddenly, and with his bare hands, broke the phaser in two.

Seeing her only means of defense dismantled so handily, she realized she had nothing to lose. She summoned her courage and asked, 'What exactly are you doing out here?'

'Same as you, breaking the law.'

Charlene didn't have to ask what that was, but she quivered at the implications. She stooped over and picked up the fallen 'Bird'. Startled, she noticed the chronometer on his collar! She couldn't believe it! Her experiment had worked, but something more had happened.

'My experiment,' she said, still not able to believe her success…your spaceship…but the probability of interception…and you????'

He nodded his head in affirmation.

'Yes. I'm a time traveler. My name is Lazarus.'


	2. Chapter 2

**No Alternative to Love**

Chapter 2. 'Primed' for Danger.

He sat at a desk at an undisclosed location. A location that few of the upper echelon of the military knew about, and those who knew of the location, none was really in touch with the truth of what he was doing there. Even the one who sat did not know what his official function was. All he knew for sure is that he had sweeping military powers and the power to make decisions for Earth as he saw fit. So much unofficial power had never sat in the body of one individual, and certainly not at the fingertips of one individual, in the entire history of the Federation.

He keyed in information on his PADD which was projected onto the large screen facing him. These bits of information were combined with coordinations, sightings, and rumors as Spock Prime's technological tentacles reached far into the galaxy gathering any and all information that he needed to protect the only home that he had left: Earth. He took a moment to reflect, tilting his chair back while regarding the screen.

'What right did he have to alter events in this timeline? Was it morally acceptable to change things that could, (no matter how careful he was), have an influence on the lives of others? Would his decisions have an effect on lives that were totally unexpected?'

A long life and recent experience had taught him that he was not omniscient, and that he was definitely capable of error. This admission would have been impossible for him earlier in his life. But even though he wasn't omniscient, he felt the weight of responsibility. Responsibility which came with the knowledge he possessed. He felt responsible to avert catastrophes that could be avoided. Catastrophes that _he_ _felt_ were unnecessary. He considered the 'changes' that he had already felt compelled to make. He had deployed ultraviolet satellites around Deneva and other planets to counter the destruction of the neural parasites, which had killed Jim Kirk's brother Sam, and wife Aurelan, in the other timeline, when and if they ever arrived. He had made sure medical supplies were delivered to colonies and planets that he knew would be experiencing plagues in the coming years. He had placed precautionary probes in the direction from which the Borg had first appeared. Ditto for the Space Amoeba which would be headed towards Starbase 6. He looked up at his display again, and the other problem he was now pondering. The Whale Probe's arrival wasn't imminent, but he wanted to reintroduce humpbacked whales immediately into the oceans of Earth, just in case of an aberration in the timeline. He would need input from Montgomery Scott. If he could somehow use Scott's advanced transport technology through time, it could be a viable solution to the problem without traveling back in time. After all, he knew the exact year, the time, and the frequency of the tags that George and Gracie were wearing.

As he pondered what to do about the gaseous cloud on Argus X, a light blinked in the upper corner of his display. He had programmed the computer to inform him of any time fluctuations, no matter how faint. This was a signal that he had been dreading ever since he had taken this job. He calibrated his instruments to isolate the time distortion. His heart sank. The results confirmed what he had been dreading. He did a quick triangulation on the time distortion, then used his broad security powers to access all surveillance devices in the general vicinity of the disturbance, for he had to be certain. The last time he had encountered a distortion of this kind, it had not only been a threat to the existence of Earth, but also to the continued existence of life everywhere in the universe: total annihilation.

* * *

Charlene Masters leaned back on the hood of her rented vehicle looking on impatiently at Lazarus as he rummaged through his spacecraft, carrying objects out that he apparently deemed essential. How he had talked her into giving him a lift to the nearest transport station was beyond her imagination, but there she sat, waiting. She had disassembled, 'Bird', and all of her other scientific material, and had packed everything carefully in her carryall. She was well-prepared for her journey back to the Academy.

As she waited, she had a chance to observe the man more closely as he moved in and out of his spacecraft, licking his fingers periodically at the remains of the sandwich that he had pawned off her. He wasn't bad-looking actually, she decided, perhaps a decade older than she was. He was tall, and he had a strong frame. His clothes were faded and worn, and his beard was slightly disheveled. But even then, he wasn't too bad. He definitely needed to bathe; however, and his hair looked oily and filthy. She was glad that he was out of her breathing space for the time being, because he also smelled. His teeth were white, straight, and surprisingly clean, (at least that). She had noticed this as he grinned at her each time he exited his craft. She wished that he would hurry up, and if he didn't, he would find himself walking to the nearest station. Finally, he seemed to be finished erecting whatever he had erected. From her engineering expertise, she imagined it was some type of energy field. She crossed her arms waiting for the culmination of his work. Gathering up his carryall, he walked over to Charlene, then turned towards his spacecraft, and hit a button on an unseen remote. She knew that something was going to happen, but she jumped nonetheless when his spacecraft disappeared.

'Nice trick,' she said, trying to sound unimpressed, but she was marvelling inside.

'Just hiding my craft from curious eyes…as if anybody in his or her right mind would come out here anyway,' he said teasingly, staring at her.

Charlene just glared at him, and motioned for him to get into the passenger seat. She climbed into the driver's seat. He remained quiet during their journey for which she was thankful. He grinned every time she glanced over at him knowing that she did not fully trust him yet. To say she didn't trust him was a gross understatement, and she was more than ready to get rid of her unwanted passenger. Arriving at the transport station, she checked in her vehicle, grabbed her carryall, and headed towards the area where a transport would take her back to the Academy. She was surprised to find Lazarus beside her. She would not allow him to unnerve her; however, because she was back in civilization now, and she felt protected. She chose to ignore him, pretending that he was a stranger. It was a long twenty minutes until the transport came. When it arrived, she noticed it was nearly empty. She took a seat next to the window, and he inevitably took the seat next to hers. She rolled her eyes continuing to ignore him...and his smell...as she looked out the window. They again rode in silence. She was completely confident that this game or whatever it was he was playing would end as soon as they reached the Academy.

She got off at the Academy station and wasn't too surprised to see him disembark also. She confidently strode toward the military shuttle that would take her on her final leg to the Academy entrance. Flashing her PADD, she was automatically identified and cleared. She confidently walked through the checkpoint thinking that she had finally shaken her nuisance, but somehow he had gotten through the checkpoint. She really didn't care, though. Even if he turned out to be an officer, which she seriously doubted, she knew that he could do nothing to her.

He finally broke the silence after again seating himself next to her.

'I've decided that you are being extremely unfriendly. You really should try to be more pleasant and smile.' He gave her his most engaging grin as an example.

'And you should try taking a shower,' Charlene said, at her coldest trying to ward him off.

He only grinned, not expecting anything less from her.

'That wasn't very nice. You have no idea of where or what I've been through on my spaceship.'

'I don't know where or _when _you've been, and neither do I care, but I'm sure that even _there,_ they had soap...and water!'

'You're definitely not seeing me at my best.'

'From the looks of things, you could sink to further depths.'

'Oh, come on. Truce now. I told you my name, and yours?'

'Lene.' she lied, because she didn't want him looking her up. 'That's all you need to know since we won't be seeing each other again.'

'I seriously doubt that, Lene,' he said, cryptically. 'I have a feeling that are lives are intertwined,' he said, saying the last word seductively and grinned even more as he saw Charlene cringe. 'Our meeting was destiny, and I think you know it, too.'

Charlene had been doing some thinking on the shuttle, and she couldn't help but agree with him, (except the intertwined part). A time traveler! She shuttered at the implications. She knew how time worked. Time flowed, and it had rules like anything else. She didn't like it, but she knew that he was telling the truth. His stares were beginning to unnerve her. She could feel his eyes penetrate the side of her face. Somehow, she felt caring and warmth from his gaze. She had to be imagining things. They had just met each other.

'You sound like one of those cheap novels from the past. Is that where you've been, dreaming in the past?' she asked. 'Anyway, I don't share your opinions or feelings on the topic, and I think our meeting was purely coincidental,' Charlene countered, not revealing her true thoughts.

He didn't counter her this time, but pondered on the choice of her word, 'feelings'. With every fiber of his being, he knew that they would meet again. Gazing at her one last time, he regarded her smooth, brown skin, and the light flutter of her dark, long lashes. The fiery personality. The fine mind. She was beautiful. Perhaps it was her obvious innocence, bravery, or single-mindedness. He didn't know why. He finally lay his head back on his seat and closed his eyes.

The shuttle landed, and she disembarked, walked through the Academy gates never looking back, enjoying again the anonymity of being among thousands of Academy personnel. Lazarus smiled at her back as he followed her out. He walked up to the checkpoint, had some words with the security guard, and waited to be cleared. The guard scanned him, looked around discreetly, and let him in. He soon disappeared into a group of buildings.

* * *

It didn't take long for Spock Prime to locate Lazarus. He recognized his face immediately as his image showed up on a surveillance device at the transport station. What Spock Prime hadn't reckoned with was his companion. This was a highly unexpected, but not an improbable development. In retrospect, it was more probable than his meeting with Jim Kirk on Delta Vega. So history was not only righting itself in his life, but also in the lives of other. Spock Prime frowned. He sighed at what this pairing could mean, and thought back to the other timeline. The other individual was Charlene Masters, the engineer in charge of dilithium crystals on the Enterprise. As far as he could remember, Lazarus had only rendered Masters unconscious and had stolen the dilithium crystals that he had needed for his spacecraft. They had had no meaningful contact much less a relationship. He looked more closely at the beautiful, young face, which he had now isolated on his screen. He remembered her as having short hair, and not the wind-blown look that she know sported.

He widened the angle and regarded the interaction between the two. She seemed to be ignoring Lazarus, but the look on Lazarus' face indicated a relationship of some kind; he wasn't sure. If he were correct, this would pose a potential difficulty, because Masters could become directly involved. Interacting with humans throughout the years, he had learned to recognize the nuances of human emotions: spitefulness, jealousy, ambition, passion, and love. He had seldom seen this look, but he knew it intimately. It was the look of pure love. Spock ran Lazarus' image in his security program which released all information about him. 'Fascinating', Spock thought. He did a search on Charlene Masters, finding her location with ease. He paused and smiled a bit when he noticed with whom she was staying. So Nyota Uhura was her roommate. He hadn't had the opportunity to meet with her in this timeline yet. He wondered at the feeling of anticipation that crept into him as he rose from his desk. He pressed another button. Yes, she was in her room. His first visit would be with her, and then with Masters when she arrived.

* * *

Hopefully, you all liked this chapter. I enjoyed writing it. Please review! Thanks very much in advance!


	3. Chapter 3

No Alternative to Love

Chapter 3. Various Meetings.

Lazarus lowered himself slowly into the steamy water and sighed as his long flanks sank into the tub. He was relieved to finally rest his exhausted body in a hot tub of sudsy water. It seemed like years since he had had a proper bath, and it didn't take the evil grimaces of a girl to tell him that he looked and smelled like something dragged out of a swamp. He slid his body deeper into the water until only his face was exposed, his legs dangling from the sides of the tub. He knew that it would take more baths and as many showers to be pronounced completely clean, not only to the woman who was occupying his mind, but also to himself. Actually, he had more important things to think about than Lene or his personal hygiene.

He counted himself as clever, being able to outwit Star Fleet. But he still had a strange feeling that someone was watching his every move…that somehow he was being shadowed through time. How that was possible, he didn't know, but it was something to ponder. He thought about giving up time traveling. He still had an official job. He had been given a top secret clearance and this non-descript room at the Academy to use when he needed to do extra research, and for times like these, when he needed to rest from his work.

His mind went back to the events of that day. While the cadet he had met was definitely doing illegal things with time, she seemed to be only at the initial stages of her experiments. He seriously doubted that she would give him away, because that would cause her problems as well. But did she have any idea of what she was doing? He was an experienced physicist, and she was apparently an engineer, remembering the sleek design of that bird-thing which he had quickly examined in his ship. He wished that he had taken a closer look at it, and cursed his dazzled, school-boy eyes at distracting him from something very important.

He put a hand on his beard, and considered shaving it off. He would definitely have to take another look at her creation. Anything messing with the time fabric had to be examined. It was his duty even though he was on contract with Star Fleet and not a military officer. He was sure that she would be experimenting with it again. Inspite of how she had acted towards him and what she had said, he was certain that she would be at the same location. He turned his attention back to the matter currently at hand...scrubbing and making himself presentable.

* * *

Nyota Uhura sat studying in her dorm room. It was getting pretty late as she tiredly stretched her arms and legs from the cramped positions that they had acquired while sitting at her desk. She yawned and looked over at the place opposite hers that was now occupied by Charlene Masters, and sadly remembered her other roommate, Gaila. They were so different. Char was more to her taste in roommates: quiet, dedicated, brilliant. Gaila was unpredictable, but had provided her with a fulfilling friendship. Her eyes slowly welled up with tears. She missed her friend deeply.

It had only been three months since they had gotten back to the Academy. The Enterprise was still undergoing repairs, and until she was repaired, it was business as usual…being a cadet at Star Fleet Academy. Many of her fellow cadets, including herself, who had served on the Enterprise's maiden voyage, felt like seasoned veterans, and were now forced to go through the boring motions of completing class assignments which weren't really applicable anymore. They had already proven that they were officers in Star Fleet, capable of performing competently under any conditions. Nyota had kept in contact with most of her new shipmates, especially the bridge crew. She had gotten to know Chekov, who had decided to stay on at the Academy instead of returning to Russia, and had run into Sulu on occasion.

She stretched again and smiled as her eyes drifted to a small picture that she had of Spock. He was on an away mission doing surveys on the planet which was to be the new home of the Vulcans. His father had asked Spock to accompany him, and he immediately obliged, knowing that his father needed companionship after the loss of Amanda. They both needed each other, even though they wouldn't openly admit it. Spock had been gone a month, and she sorely missed him. She had just spoken to him, and he said he would be delayed another month. She sighed. The door bell chimed.

'Come', she said, somewhat soberly. She had hoped that it would be Charlene, but Charlene wouldn't have rung. She turned towards the door and gaped at the figure standing in her doorway.

'May I enter', said the figure.

'Spock!' she mouthed silently. 'Of course, come in', she said flustered, as the older version of her lover walked into the room. She stood up not knowing quite what to do.

He just smiled as he stood and faced her.

'Nyota Uhura,' he said, smiling and shaking his head in wonder. Then his face took on a more serious look, remembering the business as to why he was there.

'I assume that this is not a casual visit?' she asked, noting the sudden seriousness in his eyes.

'You assume correctly. I hope you have time. This will require a detailed explanation'.

* * *

Charlene wanted to go back to her room immediately, but decided to go to the Engineering building instead. She really wanted to get Bird cleaned up. And since it was late afternoon and the weekend, not many cadets frequented the laboratory; she knew that she would have the opportunity to clean Bird without much observation. And even if she were to run into inquisitive cadets, they would not know the true function of her experiment. No sense in taking any unnecessary chances, though.

She was able to get to the lab unobserved. It was empty as she had presumed. She placed her things at a station, retrieved some supplies, and got to work. She took out Bird carefully, piece-by-piece. She took a cloth and wiped the residue off each section and part. Then, she delicately maneuvered its wingtips and struts back into position. With little puffs, she carefully blew away the stray, microscopic dust particles from Bird, with a special filtering machine. Then, she lightly pounded its side panels with a delicate hammer until the dents disappeared. Finally, she re-assembled Bird, and taking a soft cloth, rubbed and polished until it shone new. She was standing, admiring her work, and rubbing Bird fondly when she felt a finger brush lightly against the back of her neck. She nearly jumped out her skin as familiar laughter threatened to choke in joviality.

'Lee…you!' she yelled, turning around looking for a target to belt.

Lee Kelso, still laughing madly, nimbly ducked her fist, jumping easily away.

'What are you doing here so late!' he said, positioning himself between her and a table to avoid a blow.

'I might ask you the same thing,' she said. She smiled at him then. She really liked Lee. He was so fun. She saw that she wouldn't be able to hit him, so she turned back and started disassembling Bird.

'I was just finishing some work.'

'Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you all day!'

'Sorry, but I took another PADD with me today. I was in the desert flying Bird. I told you that I would be flying the entire weekend, didn't I?'

'I know what you _said_, but I thought maybe you would have made a little time for me,' he said pouting, giving her his saddest look.

'Oh, you! We'll see each other on Monday for sure, and then we can plan something for the middle of next week, okay?' she said, giving Lee a conciliatory smile.

'Well…now that you're here. Want to grab something to eat with me?' Lee said, looking at her hopefully.

Charlene wanted to go back to her dorm room for a needed shower, but she didn't want to hurt Lee's feelings.

'That sounds great,' she said, realizing belately that she was indeed hungry, since that pig Lazarus had eaten her sandwich. 'Just let me finish taking apart my bird here…and I'll be with you.'

'What does your bird have that I don't…,' he mumbled, tapping it lightly on the nose. Charlene just shrugged and smiled at him as he walked away to complete some business of his own.

Twenty minutes later, they were making their way to the mess hall, Lee jabbering away about the latest project he was involved in. Charlene really liked it when Lee talked so absent-mindedly about everything and anything. She didn't feel that she had to fully concentrate on the conversation. Nodding and smiling from time to time at his stories, seemed to please Lee immensely. It helped to know that he liked her. She had even considered finally giving him some serious reciprocal signals, but she still wasn't sure of whether to start a relationship with somebody she worked so closely with.

They entered the mess hall, got their food, and found a relatively empty table. The hall was beginning to slowly fill up since it was 18:00 when most of the cadets and some officers converged to eat. They took their seats, and as she was hungry, she immediately started eating as Lee told her about the latest goings-on. The man seemed to have his nose in everything, as he startled her with certain revelations about some instructors.

Suddenly, he looked at the buffet line and waved. Charlene had her back to the line, but heard Lee say, 'Hey, Mitch, Jim! Saved places just for you!' Gary Mitchell looked up from the buffet that he was just leaving, smiled and nodded in acknowledgement. Both men walked over to the table, and Mitchell sat down next to Lee, and Jim, whom she hadn't really noticed, sat down with his thigh uncomfortably close to hers.

She glanced sideways, obviously annoyed, and was greeted by a cheeky, playful grin.

'Whattya been up to, Lee?' Mitchell asked genially, slapping him playfully on the back.

'Nothing, compared to our hero here. Hey, Jim?' said Lee, 'been saving any galaxies lately?'

'Not with my ship in dock!' Kirk said, as Charlene looked again sideways at him.

He gave her his best grin, realizing that she had finally recognized him, and decided to play his advantage.

'Hi, beautiful! We've never officially met. The name's James Kirk, and yours?'

'Masters.'

'Masters, is that your first name or your last name,' said Kirk, remembering another conversation.

Lee cleared his throat. 'Jim, do you have to accost every female at the Academy?'

'Accost? Accost? I was just attempting meaningful conversation.'

Mitchell chuckled, amused at the entire situation.

Charlene, having finished her meal, rose to leave the table. She was quite familiar with Star Fleet's new hero, Jim Kirk, and also his efforts to 'make himself known' to every woman in the cadet wing. Grateful for having Nyota as a roommate and having inside information on him, she quietly excused herself.

Jim looked disappointed, and sniffed quickly under his armpits, while looking at the retreating back of Charlene Masters wondering where he had gone wrong.

'See you, Char…tell Nyota I said, 'Hi!',' Mitchell yelled after her.

Aha. Now Jim understood. Nyota's roommate. That explained a lot. Great!

'Write you later, Lee. Bye Mitch, Jim,' she said, carefully balancing her tray in one hand and waving with the other.

'Hands off, Kirk. She's mine.' Lee gave Kirk a warning glance.

'Don't worry, Lee. As long as she's Nyota's roommate, I don't have a chance anyway.'

* * *

Charlene retrieved her carry-all which she had left at the entrance and walked briskly out of the mess hall. Off to her right, a pair of penetrating eyes gazed coolly at her as she made her way back down the walkway in the direction of the dorms. She breathed in the fresh cool air of the approaching night. She looked up and noticed that stars were beginning to peek out behind the parting clouds.

'Fancy seeing you so soon after our meeting in the desert,' a voice sounded behind her, making her jump.

She turned slightly, recognizing the voice. She had to do a double-take, and her eyes widened in wonder. She could hardly believe the transformation, but it was him! He grinned slightly, enduring her scrutiny without a flush. He definitely looked different cleaned up and without his beard. She even smelled a hint of spice in the air around him. She didn't know why, but for the first time, she regarded this stranger not only as an annoying object, but also as a man.

'Yes. But, I'd figured that it would have taken you a lot longer to get cleaned up!'

'So you noticed! I'm making progress!' he said, putting an eloquent hand across his heart.

'Actually, my olfactory nerves told me more about your previous condition more than my sight,' she said, continuing to walk towards her room.

'Thanks,' Lazarus said more to himself than to Charlene.

'What kind of name is Lazarus anyway?' Charlene asked, surprising him.

Lazarus stopped and gestured that they sit on a bench which was somewhat secluded from the walkway. Charlene agreed not wanting to lead Lazarus back to her room anyway, and increasingly curious as to what he wanted.

'Well, are you going to answer my question or not?' she asked, when they were seated, and he had paused a minute without saying anything.

'Ok, we can begin with small talk.'

'Begin? I don't plan on delving in any deeper conversations with you, if that's what you're implying'.

'Yes, I was implying that,' he countered, looking seriously into her eyes. His look was beginning to unnerve her. He seemed to be looking directly into her soul.

'My parents were missionaries. Do you know what a missionary is?' he asked, and continued not waiting for an answer. 'There are hardly any on Earth these days, but _I_ had to be the son of the hundred people or so people left on Earth who still believe in the cult of Jesus Christ.'

Charlene looked at Lazarus shocked. 'You've got to be kidding!'

'No, I'm not. My mother gave birth to me in a desert tent. I almost died when I was born, but somehow, they were able to save me from the jaws of death without modern medicine. A miracle, my parents called it. I was brought back to life…just like in the Bible…you know what that is? Well, there's a story about a guy named Lazarus in it who was raised from the dead, hence my name.'

'Why are you following me?' Charlene said, swiftly changing the subject, trying to catch Lazarus off guard.

_Clever_, he thought. _Now straight to the real point._

'I'm interested in what you were doing in the desert', Lazarus said.

'What if I told you it was none of your business.'

'I'll be making it my business then. I must.'

'Good luck in extracting any information,' Charlene said, rolling her eyes, not revealing how afraid she really was.

'I don't think you know what you are dealing with'.

'I know what I'm doing, Lazarus, and I don't need to be lectured by you!' Charlene said, adding a bit of heat to her voice.

Lazarus looked at her quizzically for a minute more. 'As you wish', he said, getting up abruptly leaving her by herself.

* * *

She made her way back to her room, carefully looking over her shoulder from time to time, making sure she wasn't being followed. When she reached the dormitory, Nyota was waiting. She had been studying by the look of things.

'Hi, Nyota', Charlene said, as she walked in with her carryall.

'Hi, Char. I expected you back a bit earlier.'

Charlene shrugged. 'I did too, but I ran into Lee and we decided to have dinner at the mess hall together.'

'Lee sends you his greetings,' Charlene said, then added mischievously, 'and so does Jim Kirk.'

Nyota turned looking surprised and alarmed. 'Not really!' Charlene teased, 'But I did see him, and thanks for the advice. He is quite alluring.'

Charlene walked over to her desk, and took Bird out and began re-assembling it on her desk.

Nyota groaned. 'Do you have to put _that_, there. You know that its eyes freak me out. Why did you have to make them look so life-like?'

'I did a pretty good job, didn't I?' Charlene said, looking proudly at her creation.

'What did you do with it all day?' Nyota asked, wondering why it looked so clean. 'I thought you said you were going to fly that creepy thing today?'

'Now, now. No insults. My bird has feelings,' she said, patting Bird on its head, then continuing her work. 'I did fly Bird this morning, and I cleaned it up at Engineering after I got back. That's where I met, Lee.'

'Oh. How's Lee doing, by the way?'

'He's okay. It's amazing the information that man has about everyone around here.'

'He likes you, Char, why don't you give him a chance?'

'I know, Nyota,' she said pausing, holding a piece of Bird's side, 'but I don't think that it's the best idea to have a romance with someone you work closely with. That is, I mean…well, you and Commander Spock are different...your relationship is really special.'

Nyota smiled. 'Well, I think that you need a distraction. You're never going to have time for anybody working on that creepy bird. What's it supposed to do anyway?'

'Since when do you really care?' Charlene said, looking up and wondering a bit at her roommate's inquisitiveness.

Nyota backed off immediately. 'Just wondering, because it's so spooky looking. I wondered if its eyes were trying to spy out something. They really do seem to look around sometimes, Char,' said Nyota, making a scary grimace.

Charlene laughed, momentarily distracted. 'No, my bird is not a surveillance camera. It's a bit more sophisticated than that.'

She grabbed a towel, and threw it at Nyota, who caught it on the side of her head. 'Cover them when you get undressed if you're worried that it's lusting after you,' Charlene said amusingly.

Charlene grabbed some accessories and headed towards the bathroom. Nyota humphed, but Charlene was already out of earshot. She was actually relieved, because Spock had asked her to try to find out more about what Charlene had been doing in the desert. It was quite difficult, because Nyota had really never shown a deep interest in what her roommate was doing, respecting her privacy. Knowing that Char would be occupied for awhile, she followed another of Spock's suggestions, and took the opportunity to take a closer look at her experiment. She really did detest the bird. She walked towards it, looking at it from all angles. She didn't want to touch it, and she couldn't see any other purpose for the thing other than testing aerodynamics. What more was there to learn? Spock would have to ask Charlene himself.

'Char?', she said, noticing that the water hadn't been turned on yet.

'What,' was the muffled reply.

'I'm going out with a couple of friends tonight. I won't be back until late.'

'Okay', said the muted voice, as the water in the shower started.

'Also, you had a visitor earlier. He said he would try back later tonight.'

Charlene wanted to question Nyota about that last sentence, but Nyota seemed to be already headed out. Well, she wouldn't open the door if it were _him._ That problem solved, she succumbed to the water.

* * *

Charlene stepped out of the shower, wiping away the tiny droplets of water that still dotted her skin. Then she sat down on her bed and luxuriously applied lotion to her arms and legs, enjoying the feeling of being clean and free of sand. She put on some relaxing clothes, and prepared to record her researches from that day.

She looked at 'Bird' and smiled. She then looked at Bird's eyes, and laughed silently at Nyota's expense. Yes, they did look life-like, but they weren't scary. Nyota, Nyota. She looked at Bird wondering where it had gone, and how it had intercepted Lazarus' ship. Lying on her back, she keyed in some information into her PADD.

Suddenly, she got a strange feeling, and looked up at Bird. She felt that something was staring at her, but there was nothing amiss. She rubbed her eyes. She was tired. She lay back again and started to doze. She thought she would find some relaxation, but she dreamt that Bird was staring at her. She opened her eyes suddenly, feeling as though she was being watched, but again, nothing. Bird's eyes were fixed. She suddenly felt like this was some sort of weird game. She began feeling queasy.

She closed her eyes, and she felt observed.

She opened her eyes, nothing.

She turned away, then turned back quickly towards Bird. Nothing.

Again, she looked away, then looked back swiftly…the eyes _were _staring at her! She drew her blanket back, looking around madly for something to dash Bird to bits!

She shrank back in terror when it opened its mouth and began to speak.

* * *

Hope you liked this chapter everyone! I really enjoyed writing it! Please take time to leave a review. Doesn't have to be elaborate. It's the wonderful thoughts that count. Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4

No Alternative to Love

Chapter 4. 'Q' Tips.

She looked at 'Bird' and shivered. She had never been so frightened in her life! 'Bird' started speaking again.

'If I were you, I would cease and desist all experiments with me. I don't like traveling through time. It makes me dizzy.'

Charlene gaped at the angry eyes that were fixed on hers.

'And do please close your mouth. Didn't your mother ever tell you that?'

'What are you?' she managed to ask.

'Inquisitive now, aren't we?' Bird said, slowly transforming. In its place, stood a man in a cadet's uniform. He was tall, had black hair, and a piercing, mocking stare.

She tried to sit up straighter, but she lacked the strength. She looked at the man, and then what was left of Bird.

'I didn't think you were so excitable!' said the man in cadet's uniform.

'What are you doing in my room?' she said tightly.

'The question you should be asking is, ''What were you doing in my bird?'

He stared at her. 'I've come to give you some advice,' he said, deciding to answer her question. 'I know everything about you, Charlene Masters, and why you're doing your experiments. _She'_s the reason that you're doing these experiments, isn't she?' His arm shot out and lifted the picture that was on Charlene's desk.

'I don't have to answer you!' she said, her head spinning.

'I know that she would not approve of what you are doing, so I'm here to offer you some friendly advice, 'tips' some people would call them.'

'Rather presumptuous, aren't you?' she said, fighting back. 'And what should I do?' she asked sarcastically.

'Leave Star Fleet, and don't look back.'

Charlene looked stunned never expecting this declaration. 'Leave Starfl...,' she stuttered, 'but Star Fleet is my life! How could I do that?'

'Leave Star Fleet, Charlene, or suffer the consequences of your rash actions. You have no idea what doors your experimentation have opened. All roads, except one, lead to your damnation!' he said, in a deep, sonorous voice steeped in judgment and condemnation.

She couldn't fathom life without Star Fleet. 'How do you know what's going to happen to me!' she rallied. 'Nobody can predict the future!'

'Just manipulate the past, eh?' he murmured. 'I'm able to,' said the cadet, 'and I'll prove it to you.'

The cadet seemed to dissolve and in his place appeared a withered, old woman. She wore a ragged, red, polka-dot scarf, and she had two gold earrings hanging from her elongated ears. With a wave of an ancient hand, Charlene's desk was transformed into a round, rickety table. Another wave, and Charlene was somehow sitting at the table hovering over an odd-shaped cube with the woman now sitting opposite her at the table.

'Look into my crystal cube,' croaked the crone mysteriously, her wrinkled fingers arching over the cube.

Frightened, but intrigued, Charlene looked into the mists of the cube. The mist soon parted and revealed a vision which seemed to spring suddenly from its innards. She saw a wonderful family consisting of Lee Kelso, herself, and three children. They were running on the outskirts of what looked like a high-tech, wind farm. She and Lee looked extremely happy, as he lifted her in his arms smiling and laughing.

'And they lived happily ever after,' said the old woman, as their figures turned into dust.

'And if I stay at the Academy, and pursue my career?' challenged Charlene.

'And if I stay at the Academy, and pursue my career?' mimicked the woman. 'Who wants to know?' she snapped. She paused a moment, and stretched her wrinkled hand, palm up over the cube.' Charlene looked closely at the palm expecting some sort of revelation. The old woman humphed, withdrew her outstretched palm, and mumbled something about the state of the current generation.

She gestured towards the cube. The vision changed dramatically. It was a picture of a room. Her dorm room. Charlene's eyes were suddenly focused on the bed, her bed. A man was moving on top of a body. The figure raised itself quickly to remove its pants which were already open in the front. Perspiration and desire dotted his brow as he descended again on the body. His face was flush and his eyes were filled with passion and desire. She recognized the body and the face. It was Lazarus. His hands were now busy stripping the rest of the clothes off the writhing body beneath.

'Bet you can't guess who that is underneath him?' cackled the old woman, revealing all five of her remaining teeth.

Charlene almost choked. She shook her head in denial, and she looked away horrified.

'Look closely!' the voice commanded. Her eyes returned to the cube. She saw two hands take hold of Lazarus's face. Two smooth, brown arms then encircled his body, and the face was finally revealed over his shoulder as the arms pulled Lazarus' body into hers. The face was hers, but not hers, for it was contorted, the eyes wild with passion, and the body writhing in ecstasy. The old woman moved a finger, and sound and emotion were added to the scene. _Her _moans and Lazarus' declarations of love were too much. She finally tore her face away, shaking her head in disbelief.

'Yes, it is you. Didn't know you had it in you, did you?' croaked the hag, cackling wickedly to herself.

'I don't even like him! she said, breathing unsteadily trying to recover. She couldn't deny that the scene had affected her.

'Looks like somebody's going to change her mind!' the old hag chuckled, cracking her knuckles against one another. 'But look, there's more.'

The picture again changed dramatically. She was standing alone. It looked like she was in space, but something was encasing her. She was just standing there in some type of portal. The old woman touched her shoulder, and somehow she felt the emotions of the person within the portal. Loneliness. Loneliness. Forever. Lost. Alone. For eternity.

Charlene was drained. Her heart was beating hard against her ribs. She was mortified. And this supposedly was the result of her experiment?

'Charlene, please. Believe what this man says.' Another apparation had appeared in the cube. It was her grandmother. The one person that she had longed to be reunited with over the past four years; the only person that had cared for her and had loved her unconditionally until her untimely death. Tears now flowed freely down her cheeks. She wanted to talk to her grandmother and to touch her, but she found herself suddenly sitting on her bed, and everything in the room was as it had been. The being, or whatever it was, had taken the form of a cadet again.

'Oh, oh,' the cadet smiled excitedly, looking at the door. 'We are about to have company.'

Charlene looked at the door which opened instantly. An old Vulcan slowly entered the room, and confronted the other presence immediately.

Without preamble, introduction, or explanation, he said, 'Q, why are you here?' said Spock. 'According to the other timeline, you shouldn't make your first appearance until 2063.'

'And a good evening to you to, Spock,' greeted 'Q' smoothly. 'It was a close call last time, Spock. You and James Kirk were barely able to save the universe from total annihilation. This time, the Continuum didn't want to take any chances. So, we thought that we would start testing humanity's worthiness _now_.'

'But is it fair to involve this young woman?'

'Lots of things in life aren't fair,' quipped Q. 'And aren't we being a _tad_ hypocritical in talking about fairness?'

Q looked at Charlene. 'By the way, Spock, this,' Q said, pointing a finger at Charlene, 'is probably one of the fairest things that _you'_ve done to anybody since your black hole debacle. In the other timeline, Charlene Masters was doomed to re-charging dilithium crystals and other mundane duties in engineering, but due to certain happenings _caused by you _in this timeline, her life was changed. Her father died on the Kelvin, but her grandmother proved to have a greater influence on her life.

Charlene just sat looking stunned, staring back and forth, totally overwhelmed, trying to get a grip on the strange dialogue between the individuals. She started when she heard her name mentioned as the focal point of their discussion, shaking her head from side-to-side.

'You really should read her thesis, 'The Concept of Nothingness', Spock, quite profound for a young, human girl. Yes, my mind is made up. She will be responsible on whether humankind moves forward or not. You've already shown that you aren't up to the task!', said Q, nastily.

'Don't I get a say in this or something?!' interrupted Charlene.

The cadet seemed to ponder the question, then looked at her and gave her a petulant, 'No!'

'Don't worry, you are going to have plenty to say and plenty to do,' he said, smiling wickedly reminding her of the vision, 'that is, if you don't follow my advice.'

'And what advice have you given the cadet?' queried Spock.

'Catastrophe can be avoided if she leaves Star Fleet. A simple act of selflessness and the universe is saved. See, I've given humanity a fair chance,' Q said, with both hands outstretched innocently.

'Humankind has already experienced your concept of fairness, Q,' Spock said drolly.

'Look who's talking!' Q spat, his lips twisting in disdain. 'The one who has been steering the universe through an antiquated device the last few months for the greater need of humanity. You're trying to play God, not I, although you are infinitely more erring than I. I'm just trying to decide if humanity is good enough to continue in its current direction, but you are trying to remake it in _your_ own image. _That_ is blasphemous, and will be judged right now!

Q suddenly raised his arm, staving off any response Spock was about to make. Suddenly, Spock's failures loomed hugely before him, and he was instantly assaulted by emotions. He had thought that he had resolved his part in changing the future through meditation, but realized at that moment he hadn't even addressed 99.7% of his issues. Q was merciless, showing him the strands of lives that he had snuffed out by his creation of the black hole. Q showed him what the dead's children, grandchildren, and great grand-children would have become. He showed him the intricacies of how a seemingly insignificant action or word influenced or didn't influence an individual because of death. All was shown in bold detail. Spock had, at his level, realized this, but through the unfiltered, unforgiving eyes of Q, he could not soften the glare of his failure. Only one time in his life had he gone catatonic when overwhelmed by emotion. This was the second time. Charlene stared at Spock. He wasn't moving. He just stood rigid like a statue, eyes fixed straight ahead.

'And just to be sure he stays like that for a while…'

A silent tear appeared in the corner of Spock's eye, as Q revealed to him the biggest failure of his life. _Why didn't I allow myself to love her_?' Spock sank deeper into his misery, locked in guilt, locked in regret, locked in time.

'There! Now that we've got him out of the way, where was I?'

'Judging humanity's worthiness,' said Charlene, looking on horrified, wondering what had happened to the Vulcan.

'Ahhh…yes…so what will it be? Will you take my advice and save humanity? Or will you pursue your insignificant dreams?'

She looked at the Vulcan, then looked at Q. She needed time to think, and she needed to know how to proceed. She needed to know more about what she was dealing with, and apparently the Vulcan knew.

'Before I give you an answer, I insist that Spock,' she said the name cautiously, 'be brought out of his state.'

Q glared at her for a minute, then shrugged. 'Very well,' said Q, waving a reluctant hand towards Spock's direction.

Immediately Spock returned from his abyss, looked around the room, and tried to regain composure.

'I don't know who you are, but I need your advice,' Charlene proceeded quietly, addressing Spock.

Spock nodded, trying to recover his senses.

'He said that if I left Star Fleet, then humanity would be saved.'

Spock sighed knowing that any words would have a direct impact on her decision. He could tell her about Lazarus…how he had become crazed and mad in the other timeline. He could tell her all about Q and how his prophecies and manipulations were lined with intricacies and delicate traps so minute that the division between truth and falsehood were infinitesimal. He also knew that 'Q' had drawn him here, perhaps to reveal such facts to the cadet forcing her to choose one way or the other. Q was correct. He had done his part in causing harm to the universe. He would contribute no more.

'The answer must come from within yourself, Cadet Masters,' Spock said.

'Is it true? Am I the key?'

'If he has stated that you are the key, then you are the key. But sometimes a door has more than one lock.'

She turned to face Q, who gave her a self-righteous smile.

'Ok, I've made my decision.'

'Which is?' Q turned to Spock with a triumphant grin on his face.

'I will leave the Academy.'

Q whirled towards her with an unbelieving look.

'But, but…you can't!'

Spock arched an eyebrow. 'Fascinating. Apparently, he has misjudged you, Cadet Masters.'

Turning to Q, Spock said, 'You wanted Cadet Masters to choose the other alternative out of human pride. Was that not your goal?'

Q said nothing. He just looked at both and then disappeared.

Charlene jumped at Q's disappearance, but Spock wasn't at all affected.

Turning to Charlene Masters, he said, 'I know that we don't know each other, but I'm familiar with this being. I'm asking you to tell me everything that he has said to you.'

Charlene hesitated. Carefully, she got up and moved towards the small kitchen and poured herself a shaky glass of juice. The cold liquid calmed her as she looked over the edge of the glass and regarded the Vulcan. She made a quick decision to trust the Vulcan and related most of what had happened.

'Is that all, Cadet Masters. Have you left anything out? Everything that he has shown you or said to you must be revealed.'

Charlene considered, then slightly nodded, continuing drinking her juice. She imagined that she heard a slight disembodied cackle and the little jerk of her head definitely gave her away.

'Apparently, you haven't told me everything,' Spock said, acknowledging to Charlene that the cackle was not imaginary, and he had heard it also. Spock looked at Charlene, waiting patiently for the truth.

'He showed me a vision!' Charlene spouted, embarrassed. 'We were...Lazarus and I were...'

'Understood,' said Spock, compassionately.

'Are you going to follow through with what you said, Cadet Masters, and leave Star Fleet?'

'Yes, that is what I plan to do.'

Spock marveled at the young woman. He didn't not know her personally, but anyone with Star Fleet qualifications had a drive for more than just an ordinary life.

Charlene finished her juice and with a determined look on her face, she looked for her jacket. The decision hadn't been a hard one. She understood real love and happiness. She knew that she could be happy with Lee Kelso. She had experienced real love with her grandmother--the security and happiness that came with contentment of being with someone who loved and respected you. She had little experience with the other type, the passion and desire that came with the unknown...that once in a life time passion she had read about in novels. Enticing, tempting. Q had allowed her to experience it emotionally, but she had yet to experience it physically.

'Shall I accompany you to your destination,' Spock said, a little concerned.

'You think he might interfere, don't you?' Charlene responded, reading into his request.

'The odds are 100% that he will.'

'I'm able to handle it,' she said, walking through the door as it slid open. Spock walked with her and they exited the building together. 'I've made my decision. At least, I know that my life has counted for something.'

Spock stood silently, but before leaving he said, 'If you need to contact me, my personal information will be on your PADD within the hour.'

She nodded, and disappeared into the night in search of Lee Kelso.

'The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,' he whispered silently, remembering the saying that his mother had told him about humans. As if on queue, a soft cackle sounded through the night.

* * *

_Well, hope you 'all' liked this one. I'm thoroughly enjoying writing this story! I love the characters Charlene Masters and Lazarus, and I wished that 'Star Trek' would have followed up on this relationship in 'The Alternative Factor'. They would have definitely heated up the screen._


End file.
